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Juniper Networks is unveiling a new feature to its SRX Series Services Gateways that it said adds deceptive tactics to detect sophisticated malware attacks.

The networking vendor unveiled Argon Secure at RSA Conference 2014, applying a mixture of triggers that it calls intrusion deception techniques to the network layer and at endpoints to detect advanced threats. The company is extending the malware deception engine used in its WebApp Secure for the data center to the SRX Series appliances. The new service in the SRX Series platform uses its firewall features as an enforcement engine aimed at removing infected devices before cybercriminals can steal data.

Juniper Networks SRX Series appliances have focused on routing and switching capabilities for availability. The appliances contain a firewall, intrusion detection and prevention, and built-in denial-of-service protection. The product line starts at the low end as a desktop device for securing small, distributed enterprise locations with security, routing, switching and WAN connectivity. The product line also includes a massive appliance suited for large enterprise data centers, hosted or co-located data centers, and service providers, which supports a 200-Gbps firewall -- a 100-Gbps IPS.

The company's new CEO, Shaygan Kheradpir, who took the helm in January, said the company remains committed to the channel, despite a difficult year in which the company lost at least seven high-level channel executives. Juniper named a new channel chief in January, tapping Jonathan Belcher, Juniper's vice president of partner sales for Asia-Pacific, greater China and Japan to lead the company's channel strategy. Juniper said its engineering teams are busy building out advanced, hybrid cloud ecosystems connected by highly intelligent networks. In a recent interview with CRN, Kheradpir said the needs of Juniper's service provider and enterprise customers have blurred, with large enterprises requiring the company's carrier-grade SRX appliances.

Pat Grillo, president and CEO of Atrion Communication Resources, a Branchburg, N.J.-based Juniper partner, said he was glad to see Juniper updating its SRX line, given perceptions that the company has "fallen behind" in the security market over the past couple of years.

Juniper in January reported growth across nearly all of its product segments for its fiscal fourth quarter, but said revenue for its security business fell 7 percent year-over-year to $157 million.

Still, Grillo said Juniper's security line is one of Atrion's fastest-growing segments.

"They had fallen behind a little bit. You never want to stand still, and I think they were kind of standing still," Grillo said. "But, for us, our security business with them has been great. We have been growing tremendous amounts."

Grillo didn't cite specific numbers, but said his Juniper security business has been growing by "leaps and bounds," with a couple of major deals in the pipeline now.

John O'Shea, senior vice president of Vology, a Tampa, Fla.-based solution provider and Juniper partner, said Juniper's security line has been a "key element" of Vology's overall Juniper business, and that he's excited to add Argon Secure to its portfolio. "Addressing the day-zero vulnerabilities with Argon Secure enables us to bring compelling new value to our customers as their trusted adviser," O'Shea said.

Dan Thormodsgaard, vice president of Solution Architecture at FishNet Security, an Overland Park, Kansas-based Juniper partner, said FishNet also is eager to start offering Argon Secure. "Having the combination of both a network-based and an agent-based solution provides much greater protection and increased visibility for organizations to combat against malware attacks," Thormodsgaard said. "Juniper has it right with these new capabilities, and we look forward to introducing this to our customers."

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